Not sure if this is the right forum section or this should go in Off Topic, so if a mod thinks it should be there please feel free to move it. Anyway....

I want to mount a rooftop antenna. My issue is that I live in a townhouse and there are certain rules. I can't drill through the roof or run the coax across the roof. I don't think I have a vent cap so I can't run it through there, besides it is a major pain getting into my attic and even a bigger pain running anything through my walls.

I thought I might run the coax down my stack I have a new high efficiency furnace, the only thing that uses the stack is my gas water heater.

Does anyone see any issues with this plan?

 

Seriously, I have absolutely no problem with running cables down an active chimney, I mean, what could possible happen beyond keeping Santa out?

Is this a TV antenna? Have you tried one on top of your TV? That's where mine is, the cheapest one I found (I was just testing it out to see, we have good cable signal) and I get a ton of signals, all the local stations, multiple signals from most.

 

Yes TV antenna. Inside the house does not give me as good of reception as outside.

Currently, I have a single element antenna from Antennas Direct. It does a decent job and is still somewhat ascetically pleasing. It is mounted on my old mast for my satellite antenna. I do get fade from time to time. The problem is that it is sandwiched between a hillside and our building so there is nowhere near LOS from the transmitter.

I want to move up to their 4 element model and mount it on the roof. I will have excellent LOS from there to the city plus I will most likely be able to pick up transmitters in nearby cities too.

I use Windows Media Center to record my TV so I have to have a good signal without adjusting the antenna,

I figure Santa already fits in that small vent pipe anyway to adding one cable should not be an issue. The only problem will be that he might get hung up on that cable , so if you hear about him dying in a freakish accident you will know who to blame.

But seriously, no issue with the cable being in the pipe? I guess there is not much heat going up the pipe.

 

kinda depends on what you have going into the chimney, how large it is etc. Our 25cm steel insulated chimney for a 45kW furnace doesn´t get very hot inside, something else will probably be a different story.

 

As I mentioned, nothing going up it except the water heater. Not sure how big around it is but it used to handle my furnace too.

 

You might try measuring the vent temperature when the heater is on.

They make high temperature coax cables which are rated up to 200C so that would work if the vent temperature is no higher.

 

It sounds to me like your covenants are pretty restrictive. Will they actually allow a rooftop antenna? My association allows dishes, but they must be near the back of the house. I don't think Christmas tree antennas are allowed here. Did you check?

 

It sounds to me like your covenants are pretty restrictive. Will they actually allow a rooftop antenna? My association allows dishes, but they must be near the back of the house. I don't think Christmas tree antennas are allowed here. Did you check?

Actually, by law (and I believe it is Federal), home owner associations cannot restrict rooftop antennas of any kind. Now if you wanted to mount a giant 10 foot dish on your roof they may be able to stop you but anything reasonable cannot be restricted.

 

Actually, by law (and I believe it is Federal), home owner associations cannot restrict rooftop antennas of any kind. Now if you wanted to mount a giant 10 foot dish on your roof they may be able to stop you but anything reasonable cannot be restricted.

You are correct. It is an FCC regulation, and i wasn't aware of it.

 

I'm aware of the law (though not it's source). Just remember being on the right side of the law does not prohibit the association from hassling you to necessitate your legal action.

I was quite tongue in cheek about running the cable down the chimney. Such ideas should be dismissed out of hand.

 

Well I am on the board so I have some influence .

 

A rooftop antenna REQUIRES a cable.

The stack is not proper conduit for the cable. I don't know the science or the zoning (loosely based on science usually but not necessarily) regarding running cable through the stack but I would bet this is not allowed. So, assuming I am correct, since you can't put a hole in the roof and you can't run cable across the roof you are out of luck. Out of luck unless you want to fight with the association. Since home owners associations are not allowed to restrict rooftop antennas of any kind you should have not legal problem winning this battle. Just be prepared. In fact, know the law and at the first sign of the association complaining you should present them with the facts about the law. If they are reasonable they will immediately back down. But I know some homeowners associations are not reasonable and can be very aggressive defending their rules and restrictions.

Since you are already on the board you already have a clue how aggressive you will be in trying to tear down that antenna. Which side of you is stronger?

 

OK Joe.